New Year’s Hors d’oeuvres You Can Put Together in a Snap

The holiday stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is a big blast of fun and frivolity, and we eagerly anticipate every office party, Christmas cookie, and holiday drink (need some cocktail inspiration? Look no further). link to 12/21 post But by the time New Year’s rolls around, our energy tanks are getting a bit low on fuel, and we’re feeling, ahem, a bit less than creative. Which is why we love hors d’oeuvre recipes that are equal parts tasty, crowd-pleasing, and quick to make—the perfect food for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day parties, or any time you need to feed a crowd and don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen.

Because who doesn’t like bruschetta and its many variations? Since tomatoes aren’t currently in season and the ones sold in grocery stores this time of year can be notoriously bland, roasting is a great way to squeeze a little extra oomph out of what’s available. The ricotta is a nice switch-up for the more typical sliced mozzarella. And don’t sweat it if you can’t find decent-looking fresh basil; some dried basil stirred into the cheese makes a nice substitute.

It doesn’t get much easier than this classic. Serve with toasted pita bread or crackers, or pour over pasta. Tip: if you don’t have fresh parsley, use about half the quantity of the dried version. Table salt is fine in a pinch, but you’ll get a more robust flavor with sea salt.

Even with the fresh herbs—which make a big difference in flavor—this dip is incredibly affordable to make. Make it with virtually any white bean, like cannellini, Great Northern, navy, or flageolet, and include a spreader for smearing on warm, toasted crusty bread (like that past-its-prime baguette sitting on your kitchen counter) or crispy pita chips.

Walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts work best, but we like almonds, too. What we like even more: this spicy-sweet recipe is ridiculously easy to make, but somehow yields an impressive—and crowd-pleasing—snack.

Leftovers alert! This is a great recipe to throw together using remnants of last night’s dinner without looking like you’re serving your guests, well, scraps. Pretty much anything goes for filling—from grilled chicken, baked turkey, or pulled pork to a mix of winter squash or beans.

New Year’s Hors d’oeuvres You Can Put Together in a Snap was last modified: December 30th, 2015 by Torey Schantz